Improvement in miners  safety-lanterns



NI-ooLA s LOUISSBEAUFIL s AND JACQUES lfRANCE.

twat (time.

REXROTH, OF PARIS,

IMPROVEMENT IN MINERS' sAreTY- ANTnRns.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same,

-To all whom it may concern Be it lniown that we, NICOLAS LoUIs-BEAUnLs and: JAc Uns Rnxno'rn, in the Empire of France,

have invented an Improved Anti-Explodible, or Safety- Lamp, applicable to Mining and General Purposes; and we do herebydeclare that the following is a full,

' clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being hadto the annexed sheets of drawing, making a part of the same. 1 1

'Thisinvention consists First, in applying to any description of lamps lighted by oil, schist, petroleum, or any other illuminating-sub stance, an arrangement for allowing the said lamp to burn safe from-explosion, when used in foul air or inflammable gases, such as are found in coal-mines, and also in public or private establishments, through gasescapes. Secondly, intheuse and application of a novel arlangement for closing the lamp, in such manner that when it is reddiredtorender the receptacle, or reserlv'oir containing the lighting-substances, freeand accessiblc for the purpose of filling it, and also when the wick has to betrimmed or regulated, or .any other operation has to be performed on the lamp, the light shall be forcibly extinguished, thus avoiding any danger of explosion. which might otherwise resultfrom inattention or negligence.

This safety-lamp consists of two distinct parts, viz, the lamp proper and the safety-apparatus, and the-two arrangements above alluded to may be described substantially as follows: y a

Two lamp-glasses, or tubes of glass, or any other suitable transparent material, and having different diameters, and which are open at both ends, are placed, one inside the other, concentrically, and so asto surround the wick or flame. The lower base of the in 'terior cylinder, or tube is placed a little above the upper level of the lamp, and thus leaves an annular free space around the 'wick. I These two tubes, or chimneys are overhung by" a, hollow cylindrical cap, which can be raised andlowered, and always has a concentric position with regard to the two tubes aforesaid.

The'outer tube rests at its lower base on, and forms a most air-tight joint with an elastic washer laid on ,the ledge, or shoulder of the safety-apparatus, the said ledge being fitted on the top of the lamp proper. The

height of the outer for surrounding chimney is such, that when the cap is quite down, this latter shall oyerlap, cover, and close it hermetically all round, whereas,

when the cap is raised'more or less,,t lfrere shall be an annular space between its edge and the upper brim of the said outer tube.

On examining these arrangements, as described, it

will be easilynnderstood,=that when the cap is raised,

and the lamp lighted, the hot gases evolved by combustion will rise in the inner tube, fill the cap, and

escape downward through the annular opening be I tween the said cap and the outer tube, Thus the space into the annular space around the wick, at the lower end of the inner tube, can only enter if the descending current of the hot gases of combustion does not completely close or block up"(obstruct) the annular space between the cap and outer tube or glass; that is to say, if the annular column of hot gases leaves under itself a free space, allowing the access of cold air, the latter will then form a downward current between the two lamp-tubes and feedcombustion. Hence it follows that the quantity of cold air fed into the lamp is regulated by the escaping current of hot gases, and if the lamp should be placed in or pass through explosible gases, the latter shall only enter the lamp in such quantity as to-burn and be consumed without danger of firing outside the lamp'.. When the cap is down, the annular spacearound the upperb'r'nn 'ofthe"exteriortube-being then closed, and the air or gas being prevented from entering the lamp, so as to keep up combustion, the light will naturally go out. Then the lamp maybe opened, without fear of explosion, by separating it from its safetyapparatus.

This separation can only be effected under these conditions of safety, namely, by means of a combina- .tion of a bayonet-lock of the safety-apparatus with the lamp proper and a spring-stop, and also of a screwmotion actuating the cap, by which the admittance of cold air is regulated, the said combinatiombcing contrived in such manner, that whenthe lamp is lighted, cf. 6., when the cap is lifted, the spring-stop -paralyzes the bayonet-motion,',and prevefits the separation of the two parts of the lamp, whereas,on the contrary, when the cap is quite down, and causes the light to be extinguished, the spring-stop is depressed by a rod fixed to the cap, and its action being thus interrupted, the bayonet-lock maybe moved so as to allow the separation of the two parts of the lamp.

In order that this invention may be fully understood, I have hereunto annexed two sheets ofdrawings, on which v Figure 1 is an elevation of the inexplodible safetylamp, as hereinbefore substantially described, the two componentparts of the lamp being shown asunder, and hence the lamp extinguished;

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the axis of fig. 1, the lamp being mounted, but having just been extinguished, the two component paits of the lamp being separable;

fig. 2, the lampjbeing mounted andlighted, and therefore preventedfrom being open;

Figure 4 is a plan of the lamp proper, showing, in horizontal SGCtlOD,-th8 bayonet-arrangement by which it is united with the safety-apparatus;

J Figure 5 is a top view of the safety-apparatus; I

cold air that would bedrawn by the said annular Figure3 is a vertical section, corresponding with Figure 6', a horizontal'section of the same, through the line T U;

Figure 7, a horizontal section through the line U X;

The lamp proper, A, has, at its upper portion, a

groove, 0. a, into which three or more cross-stays, ,b b b, are soldered, forming the male portion of the bayonet-joint above described.

The said lamp also carries a sheath, guide, or casing, c,-which contains a spring, 0, for holding the stop,

or pin d in an elevated position.

Lastly, this lamp is provided with a well-known contrivance, which. consists of a small rod, or wire, 0', working vertically and by rotation in a sheath-collar, or stufling-box, f, on the lamp, the said wire being bent like a hook at its upper part, in such manner, that by turning it, the point g may enter the opening It in the wick-carrier, for the purpose of raising or lowering the wick, or removing the charred portion of the same, according to the degree of elevation given to it by hand through the outside button i.

Instead of this system for regulating the wick, as shown at figs. 2, 3, and 4, the ordinary rack-arrangement may be used, asshown at fig. 1.

The safety-apparatus may be described as follows:

B, disk, or ledge, carrying the whole of the safetyapparatus, being connected with the lamp by means of three or more ears, or lugs, j j j, forming a bayonetjoint, with the cross-stays b b b of the lamp.

0, intermediate disk.

D, upper disk. These three disks (or more, as the case may be,) are connected together by means of a suitable number of soldered and riveted rods EE E E E E, the-last of which is made hollow, orptubulan-and, instead of passing in'ongh all three disks, only connects those, B- and F, outer, or surrounding cylindrical chimney, made of glass or any other transparent matter. Its lower edge rests on a leather washer on the disk B. The height of this chimney is such, that its upper edge bears against the under face of the disk 0.

G, interior cylindrical chimney, made of glass or other transparent material, and resting on the perforated gallery E. This latter is raised, or'extends to such height that the chimney G mayleave at its bottom part a free space all round the wick, and allows the cold air to feed the same, by passing through the openings in the gallery H.

I, cylindrical hollowed cap, which is raised or lowered by means of the screw J and the finger-button K. This cap is guided in its vertical motion by the rods E E E, and its descent is limited by the disk G, on which it will bear by closing it completely. This cap carries a rod, or wire, L, which is soldered and riveted against it, and which shares the vertical motions as they are imparted to the cap. This wire works in the tube E, and its length is such, that when the cap is lowered completely, its lower' extremity comes flush with the under side of the disk B. (See figs. 1 and 2.)

The interior chimney G lengthens out by a metallic tube, M, which ends near the .top of the cap, still allowing its complete descending movement.

It will be readily understood, that this portion M of the inner chimney, being contained inside the cap, may be made of any suitable opaque material, thus lessening both the length of the transparent chimney G and its liability to breakage.

The perforated galleries H N O are made in such manner that their flanges nicely clip the chimneys which they have to keep in their place, thhs avoiding any vacillation, which might cause breakage. At the same time, the apertures of the said galleries are calculated so as to give free passage to the gas-currents.

As has been specified, the outer chimney F rests ona-piece of leather laid on the ledge B. To effect this, the said leather Washer 70 is inserted under the small spring-blades l l l, which are riveted to the ledge B.

In order to give to the leather the-proper supportandbody, which it might lose in consequence of dampnes's or any other cause, a thin copper or brass washer,

'm, is placed underneath it, in which three notches, 'n

'n n, are cut, corresponding with the springs Z Z l. The washer m is placed in such manner, that when the said notches are opposite the springs, by pressing on it, and giving it about one-fifth or one-sixth of a turn, the metal and leather washers are firmly united with the disk, or ledge B. and hence with the whole safetyapparatus.

This apparatus acts as follows Supposing the lamp to be lighted, and hence closed; it will be seen, by figs. 3 and 4, that when the lugs j j j hug the cross-rods b b I), however little we raise the cap I and the rod L, which it carries, a. certain empty space exists at the foot of the tubular rod E, and as the latter corresponds with the stop d, the said stop, acted upon by its spring, enters the tube, and thus prevents any rotary motion by which the bayonetjoint might be disengaged. Hence it follows that the two parts of the apparatus are united inseparably, as

long as the cap is raised, that is' to say, whilethe lamp.

is burning. Supposing the cap to be at the maximum of its elevation deemed necessary for the proper working of the lamp, (see fig. 3,) the hot gases produced by combustion will then rise in the chimney G, and its extension M, thus filling the cap I, and escape through its lower part, in the direction of the dotted arrows, leaving, under the current formed by the said gases, a free space, which allows the cold air or ambient gas to flow across the galleryN into the annular space left. between the chimneys F G,-w'hence the said gas onair proceeds to feeding the wick, by passing through the openings in the gallery H. I

The current formed by the gases feeding the combustion is represented by the firm line arrows.

When, fi'om any cause whatever, it becomes of necessity to separate the safety apparatns from the lamp proper, the'cap I is lowered until it closes the aperture of the disk 0. The admittance of the feedinggases being thus stopped, the lamp will go out, and the rod L, having pushed back the stop (1 int-o its guide, or sheath, nothing more prevents the safetyapparatus from turning, so as to disengage the'lugs, or ears j'j j on it from the cross-stays I) b 'b in the lamp, and the two parts can thus beseparated.

1. The combination of leather washer k, spring blades 1, and notched washer m, with the disk B, arranged as described, to form an air-tight rest for the cylinder F.

2. The combination of tube G M and gratings H scribed, to connect or disconnect the lamp and safetyapparatus.

5. In combination with the thumb-screw K J, its threaded nut, and th supports E, the cap I, all operating together in the manner set forth.

BEAUFILS. REXR'OTH, Witnesses l OLCOTT, Faoounux. 

